What if?
by CastieltheCompanion
Summary: What if Rose took the shot in Journey's End, not the Doctor?


The Doctor scraped his hands through his hair, frustrated. "Donna," he said through his teeth desperately, "what else did Ro- the blonde say to you? What else did she say?"

Donna shrugged and stammered, "I- I don't know, I don't remember-"

The Doctor grit his teeth and paced, nervously scraping his hair again. Donna could practically hear the gears grinding in his head as he struggled to think of something, anything, that could save them.

"Donna," he started again, his voice dangerously low. "Please. I need you to remember exactly what the blonde said…"

Donna looked at him smugly, and her eyes drifted over his shoulder. "Why don't you ask her yourself," she stated, gesturing behind him.

The Doctor froze. Did that mean-?

Could it be?

He slowly turned his head, not knowing what to expect.

Standing in the barren streets behind them was the familiar yellow and pink blonde he loved so much, in the flesh. She was carrying a large sort of gun, and she was even wearing her signature blue jacket and pink shirt. Forgetting about everything else, the Doctor turned to run and stride towards the woman he loved.

Rose couldn't hold herself back any longer. She had waited long enough; she took off towards him, ditching the heavy gun.

They ran for each other as if nothing else mattered, and Rose felt herself come nearly to tears as she remembered the last time he told her they would never see each other again.

The Doctor's thoughts were lost and her being there was so wrong but he paid no mind to it and went for it, ignoring and going against everything telling him how wrong this was.

Just before they reached each other, Rose caught something move just off the corner of her eye. Her head swiveled in panic and the wisk-like gun rose to aim at the Doctor, but before the scream calling, "EXTERMINATE!" could be commissioned she shrieked and shoved the Doctor out of its path.

The blazing green light shot out and Rose crumpled to the ground, gasping with pain.

The Doctor realized what happened almost immediately and knelt to Rose desperately, happy thoughts fading.

He glared at the Dalek who shot her, baring his teeth in pain and fury when suddenly it imploded. A shot from behind, dealt by the one and only Jack Harkness, who rushed to the crumpled pair.

The Doctor clutched Rose hysterically, his eyes brimming with tears. She writhed in pain as only one side of her was hit. She shot the Doctor a weak smile, trying to reassure him.

Jack fell to his knees besides them.

"What happened?" he asked in a panic, staring at the Doctor expectantly.

"Th-that Dalek… shot her…" he choked through this teeth. Tears fell freely from his eyes now.

Rose looked up at him, panting with effort. "Doc- doctor," she gasped, clutching at him.

"Yes, Rose? Rose! Rose, hold on!" A rush of nostalgia overwhelmed him as he muttered those familiar words.

"Go… go save the w-world, Doctor, please, I'll be fine, l-leave me here…"

The Doctor's face pinched with pain. "N-no, Rose, I'll never leave you again… I promise… just please, oh, Rose…"

Rose tried to smile again as her eyes searched for his one last time. Her left hand rose weakly to his cheek, and he clutched it there, not caring if she felt his tears.

"Go on, Doctor, live for them, not me… all I ever did was die on you."

And with that, she fell limp, eyes fluttering.

"ROSE!" he shouted hysterically, clutched her close to his own body and cradled her, sobbing.

"NOT YOU…- oh, God-" he clenched his teeth and let the tears drench his face as he sobbed into her still-warm hair, rocking her back and forth.

Jack put a pitiful hand on his shaking shoulder, and he dried a few tears wetting his cheeks. Donna knelt beside the shaking Doctor, watching him sob into his beloved Rose, and she too wiped away the tears that were now coming.

The Doctor slowed his sobs to a halt, and, composing himself, gently picked up Rose's fragile body. He swallowed angrily, the tears almost completely gone.

Jack and Donna stood beside him, looking at him pitifully and sorrowfully.

The Doctor glanced fleetingly and lovingly back down to Rose's pale face for the last time before narrowing his eyes and clearing his throat.

"No more," he growled, dangerously quiet. "Never again."


End file.
